Home of Hope for neglected, ill-treated women

Father Patrick Isaac Home of Hope for women and children in Tamil Nadu, South India, welcomes abandoned girls, unwed mothers and women suffering domestic violence.

Father Patrick Isaac Home of Hope (Home of Hope) is a non-profit organization dedicated to caring for the poor and abandoned according to the charism of St. John Bosco.

Home of Hope offers expert guidance and emotional support to neglected and isolated women in families and society.

Women at risk are referred to Patrick’s Home of Hope by the police department,  government social welfare office and even the Collector, the highest government official at a district level.

Patrick’s Home of Hope has women from Tamil Nadu and other Indian states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Bihar.

Patrick's Home of Hope helps women in situations that include eloping with a much older man, leaving their drunken husband, drug addicts, having marital issues, and sex crime victims. 

There are four nuns belonging to the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) who care for the women at the centre.  The congregation of nuns is also known as Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco.

Women at Home of Hope engage in healthy activities

St. Maria Domenic Mazzarello, c0-foundress of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, also known as Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, is known to welcome neglected and isolated women.

The nuns teach tailoring, basket making, stitching of bags, and painting to encourage the women to be self-employed. Education is provided to children free of cost. The children attend schools and colleges along with their peers.

The nuns also engage in spiritual animation, offering yoga mediation, morning prayers, motivational talks, and learning about Biblical characters, such as Debora, Ruth, Esther, and Blessed Virgin Mary, allowing the women to align their personal lives with God's will.

Women learn folk dancing, western dancing, drama, and other extracurricular activities to cultivate their talents and stimulate their mindset to overcome failures.

Work of the Home of Hope

This is a case of Madhumita accessing the services of Patrick’s Home of Hope.

Madhumitha's parents arranged her marriage with a man 12 years older and who had an affair with another woman. Her parents tormented her to live with her husband for a year.  

Madhumita approached Ramanathapuram Integrated Service Centre to get her child back from her mother and get a divorce from the husband. Madhumita was taken to Patrick’s Home.

During her interview with Radio Veritas Asia, she expressed that

"I have learned and earned what I had lost in my life. Sisters have encouraged me to use my talents and skills to face all the challenges I have faced this far,"  Madhumita told RVA News and expressed gratitude to Patrick’s Home of Hope.

For almost fifteen-year,  Father Patrick Home of Hope served 1166 women, 1146 women are settled with their families, and currently, only 20 women live in this house.

According to records, there were 673 children admitted between 2007 and 2022. Only 15  children live in the house. All other children are relocated with their parents and family members.

Sister Margaret Amalnathan FMA, Provincial of Trichy Province, said that life “can only provide possibilities and opportunities, and we have to turn these into success. No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind. A true disciple will rejoice in God's presence serving His People.”

Sister Margaret appreciated the dedication of nuns to make the life of others better.

NGOs offer support for Patrick’s Home of Hope.

The Jesuit institutions IDEAS (Institute of Development Education, Action, and Studies, 1984), LAAS (Legal Action, Advocacy, and Services), and Father Paul Britto from the Madurai Archdiocese legal cell act as legal advisers for the home,  empowering women to know their rights and increase their awareness about violence against women.

EKTHA Foundation in Madurai, South India, and Ms. Premalatha in a Women's Helpline called “One Stop Centre” give women training on gender equality and personality development.

The nuns seek legal counsel to help women settle their disputes with their parents in court or settle issues with their families.

The women at the Home of Hope who overcome their situations are encouraged to find jobs and live independently.

The Beginning: Patrick's Home of Hope

Father Patrick founded Father Patrick Isaac Home of Hope from Dindigul Diocese on  January 15, 2007. Archbishop Antony Pappusamy, Archdiocese of Madurai, blessed the imitative.  

Father Patrick opened this home to save women suffering from domestic violence in memory of Veronica Sornam, his mother, who was suffering from domestic violence. 

The Madurai Archdiocese and the Salesian Sister Province of St. Thomas the Apostle, Chennai, agreed to do roof work from November 2007 to May 2010.

Patrick’s home was canonically erected on April  28, 2010 by then Mother General Sister Yuonne Reungoat.  From June 10, 2017, onwards, became part of the Salesian Sisters’ Province of Our Lady of Snow, Trichy (Thiruchirapally).

At present, four nuns offer services to manage the Home of Hope. Sister Jagannathan Assumpta, the Animator and Administrator, Sister Devasagayam Maria Joice, accountant, Sister Susai Mary Annamanicakam, the co-ordinator of the Home and Counselor for the women, and Sister Thomas Sirumani Sathiya, MSW students and Warden accompany the women in their journey.

Father Patrick Home of Hope is under Archbishop Antony Pappusamy. Father Joseph Selvaraj, the Chancellor of the Dindugal diocese, oversees fiscal discipline for organizational matters. Father K.S. Arokiasamy of Dindigul diocese is the executive secretary of the trust. 

Generous donors offer food and support towards Father Patrick Home of Hope.